Previous Vocal Group Record of the Week
(Week of 3/16/02 - 3/22/02)


SPOTLIGHT ON THE FOUR TUNES!

"Take My Lonely Heart"
by The Four Tunes
on Columbia 30145
released in 1948

Photo Of Jimmie Nabbie Photo Of Jim Gordon/Pat Best Photo Of Danny Owens

Above: Photos of The Four Tunes. Left to Right: Jimmie Nabbie (Lead Tenor); Jim Gordon (Bass); Pat Best (Baritone); Danny Owens (First Tenor). Center photo is from 1970's, the other photos are from 1950's.

1950 Press Release:
Four Tunes Recalled After 2-Week Absence
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 16-The Four Tunes, exclusive RCA Victor recording artists, are back at the swank Chesapeake Lounge, Cottage City, Md., after having completed eight weeks straight booking there two weeks ago.

It was pointed out by the Tunes' booking agent that artists are seldom recalled to a spot within two weeks' time, especially after having spent eight weeks there. However, in keeping with that old business truism, "The customer is always right," the Chesapeake's management is catering to public demand by re-booking the outfit.

Famous as one of the most distinctive vocal groups in the country, the quartet has been featured at such outstanding venues as Chubby's in Collingswood, N.J., the Park Avenue Cafe, New York, and Philadelphia's Showboat nitery. Nevertheless, this short-spaced return engagement is a new experience, even for the Tunes.

The group first skyrocketed into prominence when it teamed with Savannah Churchill on the hit "I Wanna Be Loved." Popular with the disk jockeys and juke box operators, their many RCA Victor hits include "Careless Love," "Kentucky Babe," "Confess" and "Lonesome Road." The Tunes' latest Victor waxing, "Do I Worry" and "Say When" is a top request item and is expected to exceed the 500,000 sales mark.

Each member of the group boasts an impressive musical background. Pat Best, arranger for the Tunes, is a composer. His standout hits are "For Sentimental Reasons" and the current favorite "I Wanna Be Loved." The Orange Blossom Quartet, Payne Jubilee Singers and the Brown Dots are just three of the combos with which Jimmie Nabbie, a former Florida school teacher, served his apprenticeship. Jimmie Gordon, a onetime scholarship student of Lamont Conservatory in Denver, sang with the Paul Robeson "John Henry," with "Carmen Jones" and had a part in "Sing Out, Sweet Land." The youngest Tune, Danny Owens, has been singing professionally since his first concert in Boston at the age of 19.

No mere "copy boys," all have good reading knowledge of both popular and classical music.

NOTE: For an article about The Brown Dots/Four Tunes by Marv Goldberg, please click HERE.


Columbia Label-The Four Tunes-1948
Above: Columbia 30145, released in 1948. Both sides are from masters procured from Manor Records. The flip side, "Where Is My Love", had been previously released on Manor 1077 in 1947.

Below: Manor 1129-B, released in 1948. RCA Victor 22-0024-B, released in 1949, their first for this label.

Manor Label-Someday-1948 RCA Victor Label-Careless Love-1949

Listen to this week's selections:

A) Click on an option below to listen to Streaming Windows Media Player.

"Take My Lonely Heart" - The Four Tunes - Columbia 30145 - 1948
"Someday" - The Four Tunes - Manor 1129-B - 1948
"Careless Love" - The Four Tunes - RCA Victor 22-0024-B - 1949
"ALL THREE SONGS" NOT FUNCTIONAL!

B) Click on an option below to listen to Downloading Windows Media Player.

"Take My Lonely Heart" - The Four Tunes - Columbia 30145 - 1948 (file size=449KB)
"Someday" - The Four Tunes - Manor 1129-B - 1948 (file size=438KB)
"Careless Love" - The Four Tunes - RCA Victor 22-0024-B - 1949 (file size=422KB)

FOR ANOTHER FOUR TUNES RECORD, "WHERE IS MY LOVE", PLEASE CLICK HERE.

TO VISIT THE PAT BEST WEB SITE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.


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